I found him in a garden area near where my niece got married in Colorado Springs last summer. I loved it but I didn’t know what to do with the photo and feelings about it are very complex and hard to explain so I just stuck it in Wordless Wednesday for better or worse.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t get it! And I love that you posted it “for better or for worse” – serious guts there!
But the fine arts degree makes me want to dig in and try to deconstruct meaning from it.
1) I believe the artist is a fan of both Jesus and baseball and isn’t poking fun.
2) In the book it says “He’s going nine for America” Does this mean that Jesus will arrive in the nineth inning or that he’ll make certain that the game plays through the nineth inning? Is the pitcher that powerful in a baseball game?
Another question for someone who knows baseball – is the role of pitcher in the game of baseball equivalent to that of God/Jesus returning to earth and affecting how the game on earth is played? As someone who doesn’t know baseball well, I’d be inclined to believe this reference to be fair.
What confuses me most is the reference to America. I’m a big fan of the US and but Christianity was not birthed in the US. And to suggest that in the return of Christ, Jesus would be playing on Team USA against the rest of the world is baffling. I understand the the sentiment comes from the love of country but wouldn’t he be playing on the side of the poor, invalid and whores? Or maybe I’m taking the bible too literally.
That being said, if the artist is in the belief that the USA stands for all things good, and Christ is on the side of all things good, not that the son of god would be necessarily playing against the rest of the world….
I have to say I’m impressed with the artist’s ability to marry their three loves: Chirst, baseball and sculpture.
This was fun! Looking forward to more of your wordless wednesday offerings. Oh please note the above is just conjecture, I didn’t mean to offend anyone’s love or belief in Christ, America or baseball.
@Allison – I love your deconstruction! I’m no Fine Art major but I think the artist has nailed the motion of a pitcher at the beginning of his delivery to the mound from a stretch position. I think the artist is very knowledgeable about baseball.
“Going Nine” is a reference to both starting and ending a game and keeping your reserve pitchers fresh for the next game. It implies both a toughness and seriousness of purpose.
The “For America” is where I think a little satire creeps in. There are many Christians here in the US who think that the USA was created by God for a particular purpose and has a special place in his plan. They point to the constitution as proof that God had his hand in it.
When I point out that the constitution confirmed slavery in the US. They tell me that God did that because the slaves were not ready to be freed and they tell me that slavery was never that bad and that for the most part slave owners were very kind and considerate of their slaves and not brutal like the liberal press would have us believe.
Of course, I point out that the document didn’t have a timetable to free the slaves and that while they may not have been ready to be free I’m not sure they were ready to be slaves either.
This is a interesting and unusual sculpture, Yogi. I’m sure it has much meaning to the artist, but we’ll never know without learning their thoughts I enjoyed reading your and Allison’s interpretation. I agree with you -who would ever want or deserve to be a slave? I’ll never understand that reasoning.
What does this mean exactly? I’m feeling stupid.
Amazing! Where on earth did you find this????
I found him in a garden area near where my niece got married in Colorado Springs last summer. I loved it but I didn’t know what to do with the photo and feelings about it are very complex and hard to explain so I just stuck it in Wordless Wednesday for better or worse.
I must admit I don’t get it either, but it’s quite colorful to be sure.
I too am confused yet it is an interesting sculpture.
Thank heavens the majority of your readers haven’t a clue what this is all about – I felt such a fool but now know I’m not alone:-)
I’m not sure what I think about it as I don’t really know what I’m supposed to think.
Nine is my luck number, so this is great news. And Andy Pettitte is back in pinstripes, so I’m calling this a good omen!
Beautiful capture.
My entries:
Moms…Check Nyo
Yummy-as-can-be
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t get it! And I love that you posted it “for better or for worse” – serious guts there!
But the fine arts degree makes me want to dig in and try to deconstruct meaning from it.
1) I believe the artist is a fan of both Jesus and baseball and isn’t poking fun.
2) In the book it says “He’s going nine for America” Does this mean that Jesus will arrive in the nineth inning or that he’ll make certain that the game plays through the nineth inning? Is the pitcher that powerful in a baseball game?
Another question for someone who knows baseball – is the role of pitcher in the game of baseball equivalent to that of God/Jesus returning to earth and affecting how the game on earth is played? As someone who doesn’t know baseball well, I’d be inclined to believe this reference to be fair.
What confuses me most is the reference to America. I’m a big fan of the US and but Christianity was not birthed in the US. And to suggest that in the return of Christ, Jesus would be playing on Team USA against the rest of the world is baffling. I understand the the sentiment comes from the love of country but wouldn’t he be playing on the side of the poor, invalid and whores? Or maybe I’m taking the bible too literally.
That being said, if the artist is in the belief that the USA stands for all things good, and Christ is on the side of all things good, not that the son of god would be necessarily playing against the rest of the world….
I have to say I’m impressed with the artist’s ability to marry their three loves: Chirst, baseball and sculpture.
This was fun! Looking forward to more of your wordless wednesday offerings. Oh please note the above is just conjecture, I didn’t mean to offend anyone’s love or belief in Christ, America or baseball.
welcome to tina´s picstory! cool ww 🙂
@Allison – I love your deconstruction! I’m no Fine Art major but I think the artist has nailed the motion of a pitcher at the beginning of his delivery to the mound from a stretch position. I think the artist is very knowledgeable about baseball.
“Going Nine” is a reference to both starting and ending a game and keeping your reserve pitchers fresh for the next game. It implies both a toughness and seriousness of purpose.
The “For America” is where I think a little satire creeps in. There are many Christians here in the US who think that the USA was created by God for a particular purpose and has a special place in his plan. They point to the constitution as proof that God had his hand in it.
When I point out that the constitution confirmed slavery in the US. They tell me that God did that because the slaves were not ready to be freed and they tell me that slavery was never that bad and that for the most part slave owners were very kind and considerate of their slaves and not brutal like the liberal press would have us believe.
Of course, I point out that the document didn’t have a timetable to free the slaves and that while they may not have been ready to be free I’m not sure they were ready to be slaves either.
But I digress. Thanks for your comment.
interesting.
This is a interesting and unusual sculpture, Yogi. I’m sure it has much meaning to the artist, but we’ll never know without learning their thoughts I enjoyed reading your and Allison’s interpretation. I agree with you -who would ever want or deserve to be a slave? I’ll never understand that reasoning.
Wow. Just wow.
Hmmm. That’s all I can say.